The present invention relates to an apparatus which facilitates the concurrent nondestructive evaluation of partially completed welds.
Various welding devices are utilized for joining metal substrates together under various operational and environmental conditions. For example, ultrasonic sensors may be located generally laterally outwardly relative to the opposite sides of a partially completed weld such that a completed weld may be thoroughly inspected to determine the presence of assorted welding flaws. In the event that the welding flaws are detected, corrective action is taken to correct the flaw, and then welding operations are started again. This inspection technique greatly facilitates the successful completion of welding operations, while simultaneously reducing the cost of conducting same by substantially reducing time delays normally associated in correcting flaws detected late in the welding process. For example, in the prior art, if a flaw is detected in an area of the given weld once the welding device has passed several times over the same area, significant time delays and expenses are experienced as workers remove the overlying welding material, as by grinding or the like, to uncover the flaw and correct same.
However, the inventors of the apparatus have discovered that for inspection of the welds to be accurate, the movement of ultrasonic sensors must be synchronized, within small tolerance parameters.
In view of the foregoing, it would be highly desirable to provide a method and apparatus for the concurrent inspection of partially completed welds which achieves the benefits to be derived from the aforementioned technology, but which avoids the detriments individually associated therewith.
Therefore, one aspect of the present invention is to provide an improved inspection apparatus for evaluating a partially completed weld.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an inspection apparatus which includes a moveable welder for forming a partially completed weld, which, in one form of the invention, includes an ultrasonic generator mounted on the moveable welder and which is reciprocally moveable along a path of travel which is laterally disposed relative to the partially completed weld.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an inspection apparatus which includes a propulsion assembly disposed driving relation relative to the ultrasonic generator to reciprocally move the ultrasonic generator along the path of travel, and wherein the path of travel is substantially normal to the partially completed weld.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an inspection apparatus which includes an adjustment assembly borne by the moveable welder and which is operable to selectively alter the position of the path of travel of the ultrasonic generator relative to the partially completed weld.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an inspection apparatus which includes a location sensor, which in one form of the invention, determines the location of the ultrasonic generator as it moves along the path of travel, and wherein the ultrasonic generator concurrently generates ultrasonic signals during welding operations.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an inspection apparatus which includes a hollow sensor wheel assembly, which in one form of the invention, encloses the ultrasonic generator and is disposed in trailing relation relative to the moveable welder, and wherein the path of travel of the ultrasonic generator is located within the hollow sensor wheel assembly.
Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an inspection apparatus which includes an ultrasonic wedge, which in one form of the invention, is oriented in ultrasonic signal receiving relation relative to the ultrasonic generator, and wherein the ultrasonic wedge moves in unison with the ultrasonic generator along the path of travel.
These and other aspects of the invention will be discussed hereinafter.